Lum's Flight
by kcreol
Summary: OnHOLDsorry Lum, the Oni girl betrothed to Ataru, leaves him and visits Nerima and meets the crazy cast of Ranma onehalf. FINALLY Chapter 10. Yey! Sorry for the very LONG delay in updating. Reviews are welcome. FYI, Lum's the character from Urusei Yatsura
1. Resident Doctor

**Chapter 1: Resident Doctor**

* * *

_For someone who's supposed to be my fiancé, he sure doesn't show it._

Lum continued her flight away from Tomoboki. She didn't want to see him anymore. She's experienced enough "last straws" that another one will surely drive her insane.

"Mou…" she snarled, zapping the fly that dared to buzz near her. "To love such a playboy. How stupid are you?"

The sun's last rays diminished before Lum noticed how far she had traveled. She didn't expect things to turn out this way. Thinking that it was finally okay, another new student came into their class and blew Ataru away from her arms. To think that he would change after all the obstacles they had gone through together.

_I've got to find a place to stay_, Lum thought to herself, finally setting her feet on the ground. She looked up and down the alley she was currently standing on. It was deserted. _Where the heck am I? I didn't travel __**that**__ far, did I?_

Walking now, she exited to a wider avenue. The scene was new to her and she couldn't recall whether she had passed by this place even once in her life on earth. To her right was a long stretch of pavement ending at a bridge. To her left was the same long site only this time it ended at a corner turn. Instead of choosing either path, she walked towards the screen fence along the creek-slash-river that was in front of her and leaned back on it, thinking.

"Ataru," she sighed in frustration. "You dumbass..."

o - o - o - o - o - o - o - o - o

Back in Tomoboki, Ataru kept busy playing the new video game his distant relative bought him. He didn't even notice the sudden silence in the house, not even Lum's constant nagging for him to give her a kiss. The game must have been that great for him not to realize it.

o - o - o - o - o - o - o - o - o

The nearest light post suddenly went bright and slightly glared Lum's eyes. She was lost and there was no denying it. But she'd rather stay lost than go back home to Ataru. It will only show how much she depended on him. Picking up her tiger-striped bag, Lum took the road opposite the bridge.

Several paces later, she saw a clinic and approached the gate. Even though it was small, perhaps there might be a place for her to rest there. _Here goes_…

"Yes?" answered a tall, eye-glassed man in what looked like a brown dojo attire. "What can I do for you, young lady?" he said, smiling at Lum.

Hesitant, Lum pointed at the tiny wound on her right leg. It was nothing. It didn't hurt. It was practically non-existent. But if it will help her to get at least a few hours' rest in the clinic, she might as well use it as an excuse.

"Oh," replied the man. "Come on right in."

Surprised at the man's hospitality, _I swear he knew it didn't really need any treatment_, Lum walked inside the clinic. She waited until her eyes adjusted to the light and looked around. It was small, this clinic. But it had a friendly atmosphere in it. She glanced wearily at the sofa in the waiting area. The stress from her long flight must have only taken then to let itself known.

Before she got the nerve to walk towards the sofa, the man called her attention. "This way, Miss. Let's have your wound treated before it gets infected."

She followed the man, which by then she learned to be the doctor and not just a weird assistant, to an adjoining room. Here, she found two small hospital beds that greatly made her feel how tired she really was. Yet keeping herself awake, she sat on the chair next to the doctor's table.

"Wait here while I prepare the medicine."

Lum watched as the doctor took out some bottles from the medicine cabinet, a few gauze strips, several cotton balls, and a couple of medical items she wasn't quite familiar with. _He's tall_, she thought to herself. Past the strange way the doctor dressed, he was good looking with brown, shoulder length hair loosely tied. Judging by the way his clothes shift against his body, Lum concluded that he works out often enough. He reminded Lum of Rupa, her previous fiancé, somehow. But this doctor never once showed a frown on his face. Rupa almost never smiled, being so serious and all.

"Here we go," cheered the doctor, turning back towards Lum and leaning before her. "You must have grazed your leg with a splintered wood judging by how your wound looks like. It's not serious though, just a tiny abrasion." He dabbed the wound clean using some alcohol and pointed at one miniscule laceration. "This one, however, you must have gotten from a mosquito bite. Although I'm not so sure how it turned out this way. It looked burned." The doctor looked up questioningly at Lum,his smile not faltering.

"I accidentally zapped my leg while aiming at the mosquito," replied Lum, blushing. It surprised her at how keen the doctor's eyes were, even distinguishing the different causes of her wound. Usually, her people were the only ones capable of knowing such differences. Perhaps he's also from her planet?

"Uhm…" Lum ventured hesitantly, but the doctor's smile encouraged her to continue."Are you from my world by any chance?"

"Huh?" asked the doctor, tilting his head to the side in confusion. "Your world?"

Lum blinked several times and lowered her head. She must have really traveled far. "Never mind."

The doctor nodded. A few silent minutes later he finished dressing Lum's wound and stood up. "You do not seem to be from around here. Have you found a place to stay?"

Lum shook her head.

"Well in that case, you can stay here for the night. We have two hospital beds here anyway and a sofa in the waiting room. You can choose where you want to sleep." Exiting the room, the doctor called back, "I'll bring you some pillows and a blanket."

Lum chose one of the hospital beds. Normally, she didn't need any beds since she floats while sleeping. But she was so tired that there was not even a bit of energy left for her body to go on auto-float while she's in dream state.

Once the doctor handed her the blanket and pillows, Lum lied down quietly, stretched a bit, and immediately fell asleep.

o - o - o - o - o - o - o - o - o

Lum woke up the next morning a little disoriented. Her bed was hard and it smelled funny. Taking time to open her eyes, she looked around her.

"Where am I?" she groggily asked herself. Then her eyes settled on a skeletal model opposite her bed and remembered what happened yesterday.

"You're awake," she heard someone say before seeing the doctor entered the room.

"I see you've met my favourite assistant, Betty," continued the doctor, indicating the skeletal model. "Did you have a good rest?"

"Yes I did. Thank you." Lum sat up and bowed.

"I brought you breakfast to eat. Eat some before you leave, okay?"

"Alright."

Several minutes later the doctor came back. "Here are some extra snacks for you to take in case you plan to travel further."

"Thank you very much." Again, Lum was surprised at how the doctor seemingly knew a lot despite her not saying anything much. She picked up her bag, gathered the rest of her stuff and prepared to leave when the doorbell rang.

"Doctor Tofu! Are you in?" A female voice called out.

"Yes! Come in."

The owner of the voice helped herself in, carrying a basket. "Here. I brought some fruits and vegetables for you."

"Thank you," said Doctor Tofu, taking the basket inside his quarters, leaving Lum and the girl together.

The girl looked once at Lum and smiled, "Hello." She had short, dark blue hair and wore a school uniform.

"Hi," answered Lum cautiously yet also returning the smile. _People here are quite friendly_.

Lum held her stuff once more and started for the door. "I'm leaving, thanks!" She called to the doctor and to the girl she said, "Goodbye."

"Goodbye," replied the girl.

"She is in a hurry," Doctor commented once he got back to the clinic.

"Who was she?"

"Didn't say her name. She just came last night with a little wound. I think she came from Tomoboki."

"How did you know?"

"She talked in her sleep, said she'll never come back to Tomoboki again," was the doctor's reply. "I think she had a fight with her fiancé or something. Does that sound familiar?"

"Mou…" the girl said turning red in the face.

Doctor Tofu held up his hands in surrender and laughed. "I was just kidding, Akane."


	2. Crazy Town

**Chapter 2: Crazy Town**

* * *

Outside the clinic, Lum retraced her steps and walked back to the bridge she saw yesterday. She still didn't know where she was nor cared as long as she won't be bumping into Ataru any time soon.

Lum stopped on her tracks, surprised. The whole street across the bridge was almost covered with rose petals, a mix of red and dyed black. Floating over these petals, she soon saw where it all came from. Just around the corner was a big mansion and from the sounds permeating through the brick walls, a fight seemed to be ensuing. And with every blow she heard, a gust of petals flew over the wall. Curious, Lum floated up the wall to see what was happening.

"Wah-ha-ha-ha-ha!" someone laughed, startling Lum since it closely resembled her distant aunt's.

_How did that witch get here?_ Lum wondered to herself. But once the dust settled, Lum saw that the owner of the laugh was not a witch after all, although she'd pass as one.

The woman was wearing leotards and had her black hair tied up into a one-sided ponytail. Apparently, she just finished tying her adversary, making use of a pink, gymnast's ribbon and was already hanging him on a tree branch, probably to torture him or something. Under the branch was a make-shift pond and judging by the way it rippled, Lum knew that there was something in it. And not a moment to soon, she was proven right by a sudden splash. A crocodile jumped from the pond ready to snap the tied man's head.

"I win again, brother," smirked the witchy woman, leaving the man to struggle. "You can't challenge my Ranma on a duel today!"

_Brother?_ _She fought with her brother and hung him over a crocodile? A crocodile in a pond?! _With other overlapping thoughts, Lum left the scene.

She had not walked too far when a very haggard looking man, carrying a big backpack and a red umbrella approached her and almost collapsed at her feet.

"Excuse me," the man gasped. He looked like he just ran half a thousand miles and swam the same distance by the way his clothes were torn and how some sea plants clung to his hair and boots. "Can you please direct me to Furinkan High School?" the man continued leaning heavily on his umbrella.

Lum, of course, not knowing that the school was just around the corner, shrugged her shoulders and said, "I'm sorry. I don't know where it is."

"Thanks, anyway," was the man's reply. He retied his head band, which was in tiger-print Lamu noted, and continued running as if he wasn't tired anymore and that the conversation just reenergized him.

Again Lum went on her way, switching from walking to levitating whenever her feet got tired. Another sign caught her eye, this time it was an advertisement.

"_Main Attraction: Knife-throwing Duck"_

Curious, she read the directions to the place. But since she didn't even know her point of origin, Lum flew above the houses in search of big circus/festival tent, which only took her only several minutes to find.

The main attraction was to start at 6pm. Since it had only been an hour and a half after she left the clinic, Lum decided that she cannot wait that long, especially when she needed to find a place to stay. Instead, she opted to browse the stalls and other attractions in the area.

Lum saw a fire-breathing man with a fire-breathing dog right at his feet. There were rope balancing acts at one side and twins balancing on balls on the other. _Ataru can do all these things if a mere pretty girl asked him to_, Lum thought to herself but then she stopped in mid-stride and pinched her right cheek._Stop it Lum! The last thing you should do is think of him_.

She walked towards the back of the tent where some people of the circus seemed to be practicing for tonight's show. One particular woman caught her attention whose back was facing Lum.

The woman had long, straight black hair and wore a really long white robe with wide-enough sleeves to hide stuff in. She held in her hands several knives and started throwing them around a practice dummy that was pinned on a fortune wheel. Once all the knives had been thrown, she turned around and put her round glasses on the barrel next to her.

Lum blinked once. She blinked a second time. The woman was not a woman after all but a man. Perhaps it was the attire and the long hair that made her think that he was a she. The man looked up and stared at her.

"Shampoo?" he asked in surprise. "What are you doing here?"

Wondering how she could have been mistaken for a shampoo, Lum bowed and immediately left. _The guy must have quite an eye disorder. Nothing in my appearance looks like a hair product!_

o - o - o - o - o - o - o - o - o

"I'm getting hungry," Lum announced later. She had been wandering around town, not bothering to ask where she was. She was too busy looking at how the people there seemed to be as crazy as Tomoboki but also different in some ways.

She stopped in front of a restaurant named _Okonomiyaki_. It seemed to be selling assorted pancakes and pies. Entering the premises, she smelled the sweet scent of freshly baked pie and couldn't wait to order

"Hello," Lum called out to the girl behind the counter. "I'd like your day's special, please."

"Coming right up," answered the cook entering an adjoining room at the back. Lum's eyes were too tired to look at all the ingredients the woman held in her hands as she reappeared behind the counter. Instead, she drank some water served for her.

"You're not from around here, are you?"

"Hmm?" mumbled Lum. She looked up at the woman and regarded her for a while. For a cook, she obviously needed an apron but to Lum, the woman looked like she wears an apron even on a date. She had long brown hair, tied loosely in the middle. In her right hand she held chopsticks and in her left hand was a really, really large spatula. _Probably another weird resident_, Lum thought before answering. "Nope, I'm just passing. How do you know?"

"Your clothes. No one here wears a two-piece, tiger print bikini unless they're at the beach. And you also have matching boots and bag." Flipping the pancake with her big spatula, she continued, "Where are you from?"

"Tomoboki," Lum answered. She decided that aliens were not common in the area so she discarded the idea of telling her real place of origin. "What is this place, anyway?"

"You're in Nerima, which I believe is also where Tomoboki is although still miles farther," the woman answered. "If you're going to stay for a long while in this place, you probably can enroll at Furinkan High School. You look like the same age as I am."

Lum suddenly remembered the long-distance-runner asking for directions.

The woman flipped the pancake several more times, sprinkled some spices, and then served it to Lum. "Here you go."

"Thanks."

The two chatted for a while when a sudden sound stopped them in mid-sentence. The sliding door entrance opened wide and a black piglet ran inside hiding itself in Lum's bag. Before Lum could pull the piglet out of her bag, a man barged in the restaurant.

"Where is that damn pig?" he shouted. The man wore a red, Chinese tailored shirt and pants and had black, pigtailed hair. "I'm going to kill that thing!"

The woman with the big spatula, not surprised at all by the warlike disturbance in her restaurant, merely pointed at Lum's bag. The pigtailed man snatched the bag and started rummaging inside it.

Angered by how callous the man could be, taking her bag without permission whatsoever, Lum's hair began to sizzle. Without a second thought, Lum zapped the man with an intense lightning and snatched her bag back.

"Hey!" shouted the spatula girl. But that was all she said before running to the man's side, "Ranma, are you alright?"

Lum's hair was still sizzling. She rummaged her own bag and pulled the piglet out, placing it on the counter. She then paid her bill, bowed her thanks to the cook, and exited, leaving a burnt man and a surprised but angry woman.

The piglet followed Lum's exit with a glance, looked a few seconds at the burnt Ranma, and ran away.


	3. Fiancees & Ranma

**Chapter 3: Fiancées and Ranma**

* * *

"Okay," Lum started, talking to herself. She had flown several yards away from the Okonomiyaki, taking in several deep breaths. "Calm yourself, Lum. You can't just start electrocuting people around when you're ticked. They're not Ataru."

As she flew, the roofs below her seemed to gather closer together and the streets became more crowded. Lum floated down in an alley way and entered the crowded street. At first she thought it was another festival parading in the streets, but apparently it was only the town's shopping district. Every store was on sale so every resident in town must have been shopping their hearts out.

Lum walked the avenue's stretch, looking in at different stores while passers by also turned their heads in her direction, looking at her attire in particular. _Well what's wrong with it?_ She thought, looking at her own reflection on a nearby store's glass window. She was still looking at her outfit when a bicycle horn rang behind her… **really** close behind her. She only had time to turn around before it hit her unconscious.

o - o - o - o - o - o - o - o - o

-snap-

Ataru stared at his broken chopsticks. It was one of his favorites because he got them on sale and despite its cheap price, was relatively durable. Replacing them in the kitchen, it was just then that he noticed something missing.

"Mom!" He called out from the dining room, "Have you seen Lum?"

"No honey," a voice answered from one of the rooms upstairs. "Not since you two went to school yesterday. Why?"

"Nothing," Ataru replied. "I'm just going out for a while, okay? I'll come back later."

"Okay," answered his mother. "Will you be having dinner here?" She added but Ataru was already out the door, looking for Lum.

o - o - o - o - o - o - o - o - o

"The doctor's coming," said someone.

Lum opened her eyes and turned her head to where the voice came from. Big eyes. Big, large, eyes stared down at her. Startled, she quickly sat up only to fall back again in bed feeling the pain course all over her body.

"Now, now," said the creature with big eyes. Lum was too mesmerized by the eyes that she can't look anywhere else. "You better lie down, dear. You're hurt."

"Hurt?" Lum asked, confused. Again it took her a while to reorient herself and remember where she was. _Nerima_. "What… happened?"

"My granddaughter accidentally hit you with her bicycle," it answered. "She drives like a madman when she's in a hurry."

This time, Lum managed to pry her eyes away from the big ones looking at her. The creature turned out to be an old woman. A very small one, probably equal to the length between Lum's foot and waist, with large eyes. Long, white hair flowed from atop her head past her body. She was hugging a staff longer than she was and balancing it, perhaps to give her more height.

"She'll be here any minute now with the doctor," the old woman continued.

As if on cue, the nearest door opened and two people stepped in. It was the doctor that treated her earlier, Doctor Tofu. The other person that came in, Lum assumed was the old woman's granddaughter, maybe her great-granddaughter even.

"Hello again," greeted the doctor, smiling, before kneeling in front of Lum once again. He took no time in idling and started treating her wounds.

"Sorry earlier," said the young woman, bowing. Her long, lavender hair flowed in front of her. "Shampoo deliver special ramen fast. Didn't see you. Sorry." She continued in broken English (or Japanese).

"It's alright," Lum answered smiling and grimacing at the same time because of the pain. It seemed that she used her arms as a shield and got most of the cuts there. Judging by the way the doctor was now touching her back and hip area, she must have collided with a wall or a pole after she got hit.

The young woman was obviously Chinese. She wore her hair partway down and partway in two buns or odango. Her clothes also looked Chinese, which reminded Lum of that guy she burnt.

"Are you two sisters or relatives by any chance?" Doctor Tofu asked suddenly. Lum looked again at the young woman and they both stared at each other.

The old woman, on the other hand, noticed the resemblance immediately. It was the hair. Both of their hairs had the same shine that only the Joketsuzoku clan had. It was one of their secrets. However, since their clan is small, and being one of its elders, Cologne was sure that this stranger was not from their clan… nor from this planet, either.

"Where did you come from?" said the old woman, finally eyeing the two, almost inconspicuous horns in Lum's hair.

Judging by the way she looked at her, Lum told the truth. "I'm Lum, princess of the planet Oni."

"I was right," nodded the old woman. "You're not from earth. I could sense a different energy coming from you. And there is also the fact that you have horns and your ears are pointed. I believe your green hair is at its natural state." Both the doctor and the young woman turned their attention to these distinctive qualities.

"Is that what you meant when you asked me about being from you world?" That was Doctor Tofu, to which Lum nodded. "I thought those horns are fake," he continued, scratching his head and laughing at the same time.

"You not steal Ranma from Shampoo, are you?" It was the young woman this time, eyeing Lum suspiciously.

"Steal? Ranma? Shampoo?" Lum asked, confused and wondering why she might want to steal a Ranma from a shampoo.

And so the young woman told her story (in broken English): about their clan's martial arts, how she was defeated by this girl named Ranma; how she gave Ranma the kiss of death and hunted her until she got in Nerima; how she again was defeated by Ranma (here, Lum got confused as to whether Ranma was male or female or if there were two Ranmas) and by their amazon laws made him her fiancé.

Then the young woman started talking about the "fiancées": that there was Kodachi, a crazy gymnast who kept scattering black roses; then there was Ukyo, a spatula wielding girl who they first thought was a guy; then there's Akane, the Tomboy, where her beloved Ranma lives with because their fathers wanted them to.

In the middle of young woman's story, Lum handed her a pill explaining to the three people around her that it will help the young woman speak more fluently. The old woman balancing the staff inspected it a while before deciding it was safe. Sure enough, once the young girl downed the pill with water, she spoke better.

"I'm Shampoo, by the way," finished the young woman (finally Lum understood what or who Shampoo was). "And truth be told, I trust Akane with my Ranma more than the other flirts because she doesn't throw herself at Ranma. She even pretends that she doesn't like him, although everyone but she and Ranma can see. I wouldn't tell her that, though. My Ranma is mine!"

So many thoughts swirled in Lum's thoughts that she only smiled. She still didn't know who this Ranma or Akane was, although she had an idea about the other so-called fiancées.

"All done," Doctor Tofu suddenly announced. "But I still need to have you checked in the clinic."

Lum thanked the doctor just as Shampoo came in carrying two containers.

"Thank you, Doctor Tofu," she said, handing one container. She turned to Lum and handed the other one, "I'm sorry, again. Take care and thank you very much for the pill." As an afterthought, Shampoo added, "Come visit us any time."

"Thank you," Lum bowed and both she and Doctor Tofu walked out of the restaurant.

o - o - o - o - o - o - o - o - o

After several minutes of walking in silence, Doctor Tofu turned to Lum and said, "That was a cool thing, the pill I mean."

Lum brightened. "Yeah, I know. I have several more here," and she brought out a half a handful from her bag for the doctor to see. All the pills looked like tiger's eye jewels and no one would have thought that they were in fact pills.

"It alters the users' voice to suit the area he or she is currently in. However," Lum explained further, "the effect lasts for only two years."

"I see," Doctor Tofu nodded, turning one pill up against the sun.

"You can have that one if you like."

"Why thank you," he smiled, pocketing the pill. "So you're from another planet, huh."

"Yes."

"What brings you this side of the solar system?"

"It's a long story," said Lum, trying to avoid the question.

"Hmm…" Doctor Tofu studied Lum for a while and asked, "What **keeps **you here this side of the solar system?"

Lum looked up and figured this one she had to answer. "I was staying with my fiancé."

"Was?"

"I mean…" Lum caught herself but didn't know how to counter.

"It's okay," smiled the doctor. "We don't have to talk about it." Changing the subject he then asked, "So do you know any of those fiancées Shampoo was talking about?"

"Well I already have some idea," and Lum recounts what she's been doing before she got hit.

"So you've met Kodachi and Ukyo, huh?"

"Yes, but I don't know who Akane is."

"Oh, you've met her earlier. She's the one who brought the basket of fruits to the clinic."

"Oh," Lum replied. _She didn't look like a tomboy to me._

"And you've met Ranma?"

"I think I zapped him."

"Zapped?"

Lum nodded, "That's my power: zapping people with lightning."

"Why did you 'zap' Ranma?"

"Well he had the nerve to barge in the restaurant and grab my bag getting to that black piglet. I mean, if he wanted that pig bad, couldn't he just get one in the market?"

Laughing, the doctor told her that the "piglet" was not a piglet at all. From this explanation, he moved on to describing the curses at the Jusenkyou Spring in China. He also saved Lum the confusion by giving examples: Ryoga, Ranma's rival who always gets lost, was the piglet (to which Lum remembers the lost guy); Shampoo was a cat (to which Doctor Tofu laughs and tells Lum about Ranma's fear of cats); Mousse was a duck (to which the doctor pointed at the festival advertisement and Lum remembers the guy who mistook her for Shampoo); Ranma's father as a panda; and Ranma as well.

"What about Ranma?" Lum questioned. "What's his curse?"

"Well Ranma's a special case," was all the doctor said. "Anyway, we're here."

They entered the clinic and were greeted by Akane. Both girls introduced themselves to each other while Doctor Tofu prepared the other medicines he needed.

"Do you have a place to stay?" Akane asked Lum.

"Currently, I don't."

"Why don't you stay with us for a while," Akane offered sitting beside Lum. "We have plenty of room in our house."

"Uhm. If it's okay with you. Thanks."

Doctor Tofu returned with another tray of medicine and treated the rest of Lum's wounds. "Akane," he started. "One of these days your dojo will give the local inns a run for their money. You've almost invited half the town into your home."

Akane stuck out her tongue. "Don't exaggerate. We only have two borders." And to Lum she said, "Don't worry. You're welcome at our house."

Once the doctor finished, he handed Lum several tablets and a prescription, he let the girls leave. When they were still within earshot he called out, "Try not to hurt yourself again, okay? I might start following you around just to check on you every time."

Lum blushed a bit and nodded her thanks to the doctor.

o - o - o - o - o - o - o - o - o

Outside the Tendo Residence was a panda sweeping the street.

"Mr. Saotome," greeted Akane, "it's already dark. We can do this tomorrow."

"Okay," the sign the panda was holding said.

"By the way, this is Lum." Lum stepped forward and bowed. "She'll be staying with us for a while."

"Hello there," was written on the sign.

"Good evening," replied Lum. _This must be Ranma's father_.

Inside the house, Akane gave quick introductions to everyone. "Hey where's Ranma?" She asked afterwards.

"In the dojo," replied Kasumi.

"Thanks." Akane then tugged Lum's arm and said, "Come on, let's introduce you to Ranma."

Inside the dojo was a red-headed girl wearing her hair in a pigtail. She wore a red Chinese top and pants, and was training bare footed. Her back was to their so she didn't see nor hear them come in.

"Hey Ranma," that was Akane. "We have a guest."

_Ranma? _Lum thought. Turning around, the red-headed girl looked at Lum once and stared the length of a minute. "You!"

"Me?" Lum asked. She didn't know what the girl was talking about.

"Why the heck did you burn me earlier for?"

"Huh?"

Just then, Nabiki came in with a kettle of hot water and started pouring it on the pigtailed girl. In a few seconds, the red hair turned black and the full bosom that was there before shrunk to flatness. The girl became a guy! It was Lum's turn to react.

"You!"


	4. Just A Normal Dinner

**Chapter 4: Just a Normal Dinner**

* * *

"Dinner's ready!" Kasumi cheerfully called over and over at different parts of the Tendo residence.

The first to sit around the table, aside from her, were the best friends Genma Saotome and Soun Tendo who just finished cheating each other at a game of shogi. Each sat at opposite ends of the table staring each other down as if waging a silent war on who really won the game. Next came Nabiki, skipping from the stairs as she pocketed her mini-calculator before sitting down beside Kasumi. Finally, Akane, Ranma, and Lum walked in.

"You can sit between me and Ranma if you like," Akane offered Lum. Akane sat between Soun and Ranma; Ranma sat between Akane and Genma.

"Or you can sit between me and Kasumi if you like," that was Nabiki speaking. She actually gave a genuine smile to Lum and patted the pillow between her and Kasumi. Lum looked from one space to the other: to Akane, to Nabiki who kept grinning, to Kasumi who just sat quietly, to the two fathers that were still engaged in their silent war, and to the frowning Ranma who was once again (and by now) well done.

"I think it's best if I sit between Kasumi and Nabiki," Lum replied. She was a bit sorry that she fried Ranma a few more times. Sure she had forgiven him for rummaging her bag in search of the pig, but she was just surprised by his transformation. In the planet Oni, such gender transformation was considered taboo and was almost equivalent to a heinous crime. It took all of Akane's strength and Nabiki's persuasive skills to snap her out of it before Ranma returned to ashes. Lum expected Ranma to retaliate after what she did but he quietly sat at the dojo floor looking at her and finally asking, "Done?"

Still sorry by what she had done, Lum apologized a few more times. Akane reassured her that it was okay and Nabiki patted her on the shoulder saying, "He's had much more painful experiences than what you did to him. Although I don't recall ever having seen him get struck by lightning a couple of hundred times."

Lum almost teared up. Never in her life had she electrocuted someone so much other than her Ataru. It was as if her own body was looking for an outlet to receive all the lightning it has. "I'm sorry," she said again, bowing so as to conceal a drop of tear.

"They already said it's okay," Ranma finally said. "And it's okay, really. I don't mind getting hit by girls. I'm already used to being slapped, kicked, and hit by lots of women…" he waved one hand in the air nonchalantly before continuing, "…most especially a particular tomboy I know.

And not a moment too soon, Akane brandished a big mallet and hit Ranma smack on the head. A big lump quickly grew where the mallet hit the head, but Ranma didn't seem to care anymore. Instead, he pointed at Akane and said, "See?"

_So this is a regular occurrence in this house? And perhaps almost always between these two._ The two of them slightly reminded her of how she tortures Ataru. Yet the operative word was _slightly_ since there was obviously nothing about those two that resembled their (Ataru and Lum's) relationship in whatever way. Ranma didn't seem the kind to chase after girls unlike Ataru. Rather, the girls chased Ranma all the time and yet he doesn't give in to temptation. _But Ataru_, Lum reflects a little more, _he melts at a pretty girl's smile and happily leaves me to chase after whoever is available to chase_.

It was at that moment that Lum felt stubby fingers her breasts. Instinctively, she turned her lightning powers on and electrocuted whoever was touching her full blast.

"Aaahhh!!!"

Lum completely snapped out of her reverie and turned to the person she singed, getting ready to apologize again. The person turned out to be a pretty small old man, the same height as Shampoo's grandmother, wearing what looked like maroon overalls and a mask usually worn by thieves. A few feet away from him was a bag that wasn't there before and from the looks of the few pieces of garment loosely seen from it, it was a bag full of women's underwear.

Lum thought twice about apologizing and got ready to electrocute the man again. But then she noticed the whole Tendo and Saotome Family just looking at the singed man, trembling and with tears in the corner of their eyes. _Oh my goodness! They know this person!_ But then, everyone broke out laughing, the two fathers rolling down on the floor. The whole five minutes filled the room with their hysterical laughter. It was Nabiki who finally spoke.

"Well done Lum. You shouldn't be concerned about it. He lives in this house but we sure appreciate that he leaves soon. But for the mean time, we greatly welcome your lightning capabilities and we also give you permission to channel all your hatred or whatever emotion you have to that old lecher."

"You see," Kasumi finally spoke, "this is Father and Mr. Saotome's master in the Anything Goes Martial Arts. His name is Happosai."

"Yeah." That was Akane. "We'd be happier if you fry him to the next world. He's always been a lecher, a pervert, a dirty old man, and whatever else you want to call him."

"We would have thrown him out," Ranma interjected, "if our parents were brave enough to do so. But they're not, so we're stuck with him. I guess you should try changing clothes now unless you want him to crawl over you once you're asleep."

The information was a bit too much to take but to Lum, it boiled down to one thing: this old man might be what would become of Ataru when he grows old. She looked at the old man again and thought to herself, _It would be a catastrophe if these two would ever meet_.

"Okay everyone," Kasumi clapped her hands twice. "Now that we're all here, let's eat before the food gets cold."

"_Itadakimasu!_"


	5. First Day

**Chapter 5: First Day**

* * *

"An alien, huh?" Happosai contemplated as he regained consciousness the next morning. "I did hear from a very reliable source that there have been alien visits in Tomoboki. It's about time that they start visiting other parts of the city. Ours is nearer anyway."

"You've heard about them, Master?" asked the surprised Soun. "I didn't know you have an interest in extra-terrestrials as well."

"A-ho-ho-ho!!!" Happosai laughed quite loudly. "On the contrary my dear pupil, aside from young and supple ladies, I also have this thing for aliens! A-ho-ho-ho!" Saying that, an image of a very sexy, leather garbed female alien appeared in his mind. The alien had short brown hair with cat ears and bunny ears poking at the sides and a bunny's tail on her butt. The alien girl also held a black whip in her right hand and what looked like a lubricant on the other. And she curiously resembled one of the Tendo sisters.

"Don't start, old man," Nabiki said, pulling Happosai's ear, looking at him with menacing eyes but doing him no physical damage.

Happosai turned around and scratched his head, guilty. "You can't blame an old man, can you? A-he-he."

"Yeah right," Nabiki countered. "In any case, you weren't researching. You were just there stealing more lingerie and feeling those girls."

"Master!" Genma Saotome cried reprimanding his master. "And to think we were impressed that you can actually do other things aside from chasing girls."

"By the way, Nabiki," Soun addressed his daughter. "Shouldn't you be in school?"

"Oh yeah," Nabiki remembered, looking at her wristwatch. "See you guys later then. Bye!"

o – o – o – o – o – o – o – o – o

Lum flew after Ranma and Akane who were both running so fast as if being chased by a rabid dog. She didn't have much time to ask before Ranma called back to her, "Ready for some action Lum? Your super-charged lightning technique can come in handy when we're running late like this."

"Yeah," Akane turned to Ranma. "Especially since that arrogant principal of ours announced that he'll give a perfect grade to anyone who defeats you."

Before Lum got the chance to wonder about it, the three of them turned the corner to their school. As soon as they passed the entrance gate of Furinkan High School, the sliding door entrance of the main building suddenly burst out and hundreds of male students flowed out like a furious river. Without a moment's notice, Lum watched as Ranma and Akane engaged in battle, throwing and overthrowing male student upon male student until the pile grew high, almost reaching the third floor of their school.

One guy wearing a baseball club uniform made the mistake of going after Lum who was just standing beside the gate amidst the commotion. Before he realized what happened, Lum quickly elevated and zapped him down from her position in mid-air. It was a if the angel of death passed by the area at that moment because every male student stopped clobbering whoever their opponents were and stared at this new comer. One by one they swooned and fell to their knees, twin hearts popping in their eyes. Obviously, they've fallen in love at the sight of this creature. The fact that she was floating in mid-air and she just electrocuted one of their classmate was a thing they'd rather not discuss. To them, she might as well have been heaven sent even though she had horns for a halo and garbed still in a tiger striped bikini and boots.

One of them, a fat guy probably part of the sumo club judging by his almost naked appearance, let go of Ranma's arm and dared approach Lum and kneeled before her, "Our princess, let us know your name."

Lum looked around her, at the gathering of what looked like worshipers and then turned to look at her two friends. There was no help there. Akane looked dumbfounded at her male classmates while Ranma yawned, folding both his arms behind his head. "I'm Lum," she addressed the sumo guy. "But you don't have to call me princ—"

"Princess Lum," the sumo guy cut her off. "Let us call you our princess. Never a lovely being such as you has ever graced the grounds of Furinkan High School. Please know that each and every one of us is at your command."

Hesitant as to what to reply, Lum sighed and just said, "Uhm, well. Thank you, I guess. But you really don't have to do that." But the students have already picked up the weapons they brought and proceeded on entering the high school building.

"Nice entrance, Lum," Nabiki suddenly said behind Lum. She placed an arm around Lum's shoulder and half-hugged her. "Now you're going to be the princess of this place. Looks like you've got competition Akane."

"What are you talking about Nabiki?" Akane asked as Lum looked at her. "Don't mind her Lum. These guys are just gullible. First they fell for me, then they fell of Ranma-girl, and then now it's you. It's practically normal."

"You're probably right," replied Lum, laughing it off. Surprisingly, what happened just reminded her of her Stormtroopers back in Tomoboki-high. Somehow, this place didn't seem so foreign to her after all.

"Oh no," Nabiki suddenly whispered. "Here he comes. Brace yourself Lum." And she let go of Lum to go to her first class. Remembering something, Nabiki turned back and called out, "I told you. Change your clothes. You're already attracting too much attention as it is." She pointed at the high school building and Lum saw the windows packed with students watching her.

In any case, another male student, one wearing a kendo uniform approached her. Before Lum recognized who he was, the guy handed over a bouquet of red roses, knelt before Lum, and kissed the alien girl's hand. "My name is Tatewaki Kuno, Blue Lightning of Furinkan High School, and Master of the Kendo Club," said the guy. "You can just call me Kuno since I'm known by my last name."

The touch of his lips on her hand made Lum tremble. However, it was not out of girlish embarrassment but that the act repulsed her. Instantly, she withdrew her hand as if to slap his face but Kuno jumped back. So instead, Lum charged herself up and blasted a lightning bolt at Kuno's direction, only that he was able to dodge it again and Ranma received the shock of a lifetime.

"Oops," reacted Lum. "Sorry again, Ranma." She was by now used to Ranma's unbelievable power of fast healing after several shocks from her and perhaps hits from Akane.

Akane just looked at the singed Ranma and said, "You really shouldn't be getting in the way. I think you attract lightning."

Again, Lum turned to Kuno's direction, getting ready to throw another lightning bolt when a sudden gust of wind basically brought with it thousands of rose petals the color of charcoal. Somehow, Lum guessed who would be coming and sure enough, a girl jump down from a nearby tree. She wore the same leotard she was wearing the last time Lum saw her but this time she was carrying a gymnastics ball as a weapon.

The girl quickly ran to Ranma's side and glared at Lum, "How dare you hurt my sugar-puss!" She stood up, walked a few steps towards Lum and pointed, "I, Kodachi Kuno, the Black Rose, and Master of Martial Arts Rhythmic Gymnastics at St. Hebereke School for Girls will not allow this monstrosity."

"Here we go again," that was Akane who muttered, slapping her palm on her forehead.

"I challenge you, alien-girl," Kodachi continued, during which Lum repeated her name for Kodachi's sake, "to a duel. Tomor—"

But Kodachi wasn't able to finish her sentence. Lum flicked a minor lightning at her and she fell unconscious instantly. Kuno, on the other hand, ran to his sister's side but only to say, "That's karma for you my darling sister. You shouldn't have tied me for so long on the branch with Mr. Turtle readying to devour me." Kuno then whistled and a ninja who Lum didn't notice before, appeared out of nowhere and took Kodachi away.

Kuno stood up and bowed to Lum, "Your shyness and slight resistance from me only shows how much we are meant to be my sweet princess." And to Akane, he said, "Rest assured though my Akane, you still have a special place in my heart." With that, he left and entered the high school building.

With all that over, Lum floated over to Akane and Ranma, the latter finally regaining consciousness and going back to his normal uncooked self. "Good work Lum, at least we still have a few more minutes before the second bell rings," Ranma addressed her.

"Speak for yourself," Akane said looking at the building's entrance.

Both Lum and Ranma looked at the figure exiting the building. To Lum, the man was heavily tanned and wore a Hawaiian outfit. Big, round sunglasses covered his eyes and a peculiar coconut tree sat atop his head.

"Ho-ho-ho," laugh the weird-o. "I see you were not defeated today, Ranma. We'll see again tomorrow." To Lum he turned and regarded her from head to food. "Young lady," he bowed, which to Ranma and Akane was out of character, "please wear our school's uniform." With that, he disappeared back the high school building.

"Alright then," Akane clapped her hands. "I'll let you borrow my extra school uniform for a while. I think you're in the same class as Ranma and me."

o – o – o – o – o – o – o – o – o

Outside the ladies' bathroom, Lum looked at the Furinkan High School uniform she was wearing. "So how does it fit?" Akane asked her, smiling.

"Well, it's okay. But it's kinda tight here," Lum touched her chest, "and a little loose here," she stretched the waist of the uniform.

Beside her, Ranma laughed so hard he had a hard time standing up. "I told you Akane, you're fat! That's the same thing I said when you first lent me one of your clothes. Bwahahahaha!!! –urk!"

"Let's go Lum, I'll show you to class and introduce you to your new classmates," Akane said, pulling Lum by the hand.

"Uhm, okay," uttered Lum, looking back at the unconscious Ranma lying on the floor.


	6. Ukyo & Pchan

**Chapter 6: Ukyo & P-chan**

* * *

The rest of Lum's first day in school went by uneventfully. Sixty per cent or so of her class with Ranma and Akane was apparently composed of male students, all of which had been involved in the spectacle that morning. They all made puppy-dog eyes to Lum's direction while a select few mustered up their courage to pull out her seat for her or take care of her bag, not that she let them handle her bag anyway.

Lum was already used to this kind of attention and it wasn't that hard to ignore their attempts or just pleasure them with her smile. She did it like second nature. The girls in her class were split between openly resenting her and admiring how she did these things gracefully.

o – o – o – o – o – o – o – o – o

After the final bell rang, Ranma, Akane, Lum, and Nabiki gathered at the foot locker, preparing to go home. But before Lum managed to put on her tiger striped boots (she liked her own boots better but also decided to wear Akane's uniform for the time being), a guy with a spatula appeared at the entrance.

"We meet again," he addressed Lum. "Since it appears that Ranma forgave you over what happened at the Okonomiyaki, I guess I forgive you as well."

Lum tilted her head to the side and tried to remember where she had seen this person before. Her eyes focused on the spatula, and then on the guy's facial features. There was something there but she just can't quite connect it.

"Perhaps this will help," Nabiki said as she took Lum's hand and guided it to the guy's chest.

Lum flushed. It was not because she was embarrassed to touch another man's chest aside from her fiancé's; rather, she was surprised that what looked flat was not so flat once touched. This man has two bumps on his chest! Again Lum looked at the guy whose eyes were now looking at her. Suddenly she remembered, "You're the spatula girl at that store where Ranma ran after that pig!"

"You catch on pretty fast," replied the girl, brushing Lum's hand from her bosom. "I'm Ukyo, Ranma's childhood sweetheart."

"You're the other fiancée," Lum pointed. "But why do you wear boy's uniform?"

"It suits me better. At least the guys wouldn't run after me so much."

"Is that so?" Lum took note of the fact. Perhaps she might dress herself in a boy uniform one of these days.

"We better go guys," said Nabiki. "Kasumi said she's going to cook us some sukiyaki."

All five of them went home from school although later Ukyo separated from the pack to attend her Okonomiyaki. "See you tomorrow. And nice meeting you Lum. Drop by at the Okonomiyaki anytime."

"Thanks. I will." Lum called back and waved. "Furinkan is a nice place."

"It is, isn't it?" Akane agreed.

"Not quite," countered Ranma.

"It's nice if you know how to swindle money from you friends." Nabiki laughed and turned to Lum, "I'll teach you that one day Lum."

o – o – o – o – o – o – o – o – o

"Dinner was great wasn't it?" Akane said a few hours later. She patted her tummy and resisted the urge to lie down in bed like an overgrown pig.

Lum sat by Akane's bedroom floor, looking at several clothes Akane wanted her to have. She tried a few already and they were all the same: tight on the chest and loose around the waist. Lum could manage it though. Nabiki also told her that she can adjust the seams for her but for a certain price. Based on Lum's little knowledge, it was too steep a price for such small work. But converting the price to her planet's currency, it was a piece of cake. She agreed much to Nabiki's delight.

"You don't have to do that, Akane," Lum said when she saw Akane preparing a futon for her. "I sleep afloat. I could use a blanket though in case it gets cold."

Wondering how Lum could manage sleeping floating in the air, Akane didn't bother to imagine. In any case, she tucked the futon back in her closet. As she opened the closet door, a black piglet tumbled out, its four hoofs tied together by a rope. "P-chan!"

Curious at what a P-chan was, Lum looked over Akane's shoulder to see what it was. It was the same piglet she saw the other day that Ranma was chasing after. The black piglet also looked at Lum and blushed much to Lum's surprise. She didn't know pigs could blush. Then again, she already knew that this was no ordinary piglet. It was Ryoga as Dr. Tofu clearly explained.

Akane untied P-chan's hooves muttering something about killing Ranma later and then turned to Lum holding the pig up. "Hey Lum," Akane beamed. "This is my favorite pet (and the piglet reddened even more), P-chan."

"Uhm," Lum looked at P-chan hesitantly. "Hello P-chan," she said patting the pig on the head. For a moment, Lum thought she saw a drop of blood come out of the piglet's snout. _Impossible_, she thought to herself.

"Be nice P-chan, okay?" Akane reminded the piglet. "Lum here is our guest. If you don't, she might send a lightning bolt to you."

This time, Lum thought she saw the piglet blanched several shades lighter. She smiled so as to reassure it that she wouldn't do anything like that. "Nice to meet you P-chan, let's be friends."

"Well then," Akane clapped after setting P-chan on her bed. "Lights out. Goodnight Lum."

"Sweet dreams, Akane."

"Buk-ki!" snorted the piglet to both girls.


	7. A Week at Nerima

**Author's Notes:**

_Thanks to your reviews, I made several changes in all seven chapters of **Lum's Flight**. I highly recommend that you read the whole thing again, but if you're too lazy to do so ;) it's okay. I'll be noting the changes here anyway._

_**Chapter 1:** Just minor changes: grammatical corrections; rephrasing of sentences; and added details. You can skip this.  
__**Chapter 2:** Also minor changes. You can skip this one as well.  
__**Chapter 3:** Useful detail added and worth re-reading. Just explains how Shampoo suddenly speaks better English/Japanese.  
__**Chapter 4:** Minor changes again. Skip worthy.  
__**Chapter 5:** Useful detail added. Now indicates why the students of Furinkan High School are fighting Ranma and Akane again, even though it had been dealt with at the beginning of the series (animé).  
__**Chapter 6:** Minor changes: deleted a whole paragraph and added several sentence for detail. Can be skipped.  
__**Chapter 7:** Completely overhauled. You really need to read this whole thing. I cut down the long overview to detailed sections/days as some of you suggested. I also moved a section to chapter 8 (which I'll be posting soon)._

_Thank you very much. Tell me what you think:)_

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* * *

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**Chapter 7: A Week at Nerima**

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* * *

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It had been three days since Lum visited Nerima and the rest of the week went by just as fast. Lum eventually blended in town. It appeared that people no longer considered her as strange seeing that every time Happosai raided the town and made the mistake of trying to feel her up, she would strike the old man with so much lightning that he always falls unconscious. Because of this, the number of female underwear theft incidences dropped considerably. It can be said then that thanks to Lum, the women in Tomoboki were more at peace.

Kodachi Kuno threatened and challenged Lum the rest of the week to fights that never did ensue. Lum always made a point to end it by sending Kodachi a few shocks. Poor Kodachi even had a seizure once because of too much electricity running through her veins, but her brother always remedied it with a few slaps on the head. And both of them would just end up fighting.

o – o – o – o – o – o – o – o – o

Lum's second day in school, her fourth day in Nerima, she was again showered with unrelenting attention by her male class mates. Their professor had a hard time keeping the class in order since the guys kept doing stupid things to get their princess's attention.

Akane seemed to have adjusted quite nicely while Ranma couldn't care less. Nabiki, on the other hand, found a way to keep the class in order that afternoon. She sold passes to the guys (at insane prices, obviously) who want to do something special for Lum, most of which were just to pull the chair for her, open doors for her, and carry stuff for her with the exception of her little bag that she explicitly told Nabiki was off limits.

"What's with the bag, anyway," Nabiki asked that afternoon.

"Nothing important," was Lum's curious reply, holding the bag closer.

o – o – o – o – o – o – o – o – o

Thursday night, they found another use for Lum's power. A huge truck hit one of the town's major electrical poles just as they were eating dinner, and a mass black out occurred. At the Tendo Residence, people finished their dinner and started bumping into one another.

Then suddenly, light illuminated the chaos dining area. Ranma's face was pressed against a surprised Akane's lap. Apparently he was kicked by Soun, who was in turn pushed by Genma-panda, who was stepped on the knee by Nabiki, who was looking for a flashlight. Happosai was flattened by the panda's weight and Kasumi was nowhere to be seen, perhaps in the kitchen.

Everyone looked up and saw Lum sending volts of electricity through the light bulb.

"Oh my," Kasumi commented, entering the room. She looked at the rest of dinner scattered on the floor and then saw Lum.

"Wow," it was Nabiki. She stood up quickly, ran upstairs, and brought out a generator. "Can you charge this for me?"

Lum did as requested, pointing her other hand to the generator. Nabiki then ran out once more and in a few minutes (to which the rest of the cast got back their bearing), the rest of the house lit up.

"Nice," Ranma said, standing beside the pond and looking the only lit house in Nerima. "I didn't know Nabiki had a generator."

"I invented that," Nabiki boasted, reappearing in the dining area once more. "I have several more and with Lum here, I sure can make lots of money." To Lum she added, "What do you say I give a 5 percent share in profits? Maybe even 10 percent."

Well Lum didn't really care so she agreed. The rest of Nerima that night lined up outside the Tendo residence and placed their bids for Nabiki's generator.

The rest of the night found Nabiki counting stacks of money in her bedroom while the rest of the cast slept peacefully.

o – o – o – o – o – o – o – o – o

Friday after school, Lum finally got to meet Ryoga-human, thanks to Ranma's hitting him and sending him crashing against the tree Lum was resting on. There was an instant reaction from Ryoga when he saw Lum but that was only because he nuzzled next to her the night before when Akane unknowingly kicked him off the bed. Lum, on the other hand, didn't care about that stuff so long as Ryoga was in animal form.

And Lum told Ryoga so when later than day they walked around Nerima. Lum offered Ryoga her help so that he'll be able to find his way around town, although Lum didn't know herself where she was going. Eventually, both of them got lost. But since Lum just had to fly high enough, they found their way again.

Lum liked Ryoga instantly, although she didn't know the exact reason why. She attributed half of it to the silly fact that Ryoga wore a tiger-print headband. The other half, she later realized, was because he could turn into a pig. It reminded Lum, once again, of her fiancé, Rupa, who had power over pigs. Nevertheless, Lum just liked Ryoga.

"You have a very interesting power," Ryoga complimented as they both entered the local park.

"Thank you," smiled Lum, floating to sit on top of the bar holding the swings. "It's normal though, in my planet."

"Perhaps," agreed Ryoga. "But if I had such power I'm sure I can beat Ranma."

"What's with you two anyway?" Lum asked, jumping down to sit on the swing next to Ryoga.

For half an hour, Ryoga told Lum his rivalry with Ranma. Lum, of course, found it silly but decided afterwards that such rivalry only made the two men closer. And although Ryoga kept on how he and Ranma always fought, how he always wanted to beat Ranma into a pulp, it didn't escape Lum that this person held Ranma with respect.

After a while they talked about other things. Lum learned that Ryoga's tendency to get lost was congenital, that even his parents both have it. It was not a surprise to her as well when Ryoga told her of his feeling for Akane. She even commented how she noticed Ryoga's indecisiveness when in front of Akane. It delighted Lum then to see Ryoga slight blushy.

The rest of the day passed swiftly and it was already dark when they arrived home in time for dinner. Kasumi and Lum both invited Ryoga to eat with them much to his shyness.

Around the dining table Lum sat this time between Ranma and Akane. Ranma didn't care. Akane wondered where P-chan went. Ryoga kept staring at the table. Nabiki teased the Oni princess and Ryoga on what they did the whole day, but the two people in question just shrugged and said nothing. Kasumi kept smiling. The two fathers were engaged in their death-stare battler and Happosai? Well… let's just say that a few kilometers from the Tendo house, shrieks of angered women can be heard.

o – o – o – o – o – o – o – o – o

The next day found Lum at Ukyo's Okonomiyaki, helping her out with cooking and attending the customers. Ranma and Akane had been with them that morning but said they had to attend to some other business before leaving, much to Ukyo's dislike.

Still, Ukyo's wild ideas on what kind of business Akane and Ranma both had to deal with evaporated as soon as the noon customers rushed in the restaurant's sliding doors.

"Welcome!" both Lum and Ukyo greeted cheerfully.

Customers upon customers filed in and in an instant the place was packed, yet there were still others standing outside. Ukyo squeezed her way out the door and saw a long line outside the Okonomiyaki. _This has never happened before_, she thought to herself, _not even during dinner time_. Then, going back in, it hit her.

"Lum," she called her alien friend who was just then appearing from the back room with an armful of ingredients. "You're an angel, you know that?"

Lum didn't get the idea at first until Ukyo continued. "You brought in all these customers! You're welcome at the Okonomiyaki every Saturday…" and as an afterthought added, "or any other day for that matter." Ukyo patted her congratulations to Lum's shoulder and both girls went back to work.

o – o – o – o – o – o – o – o – o

On Lum's seventh day at Nerima, she visited Shampoo and her grandmother, who she learned to be Cologned. She learned from Ranma that the 'old ghoul', as they nicknamed her, had enough knowledge to establish her own national library. Lum was particularly interested in Cologne's ability to concoct potions that can tear the whole world apart or bring the most of most playboys down to his knees. It was for this that Lum wanted to get to know the old woman, although she'd leave the matter of potions for another day.

As for that day, she just helped out at the Cat Café's delivery services. She didn't need a bicycle after all to go around town since she could fly. Although this could have been a faster way to deliver, in hindsight though, her deliveries almost always arrived cold. Lum still didn't know her way around town although she's learning.

That afternoon she also helped out as a waitress at the café. Both she and Shampoo found the whole thing confusing at first since all of their customers kept shouting 'Shampoo! Shampoo!" to both of them. Lum corrected those addressing her every time but she soon gave that up. Eventually, both girls just went to whoever customer's nearest to them calling out 'Shampoo! Shampoo!"

Cologne developed a liking for Lum immediately. She saw her as a granddaughter and treated her as such, perhaps because of Lum's resemblance to Shampoo and maybe because she did not seem to be a threat between her granddaughter and son-in-law. Or maybe it was just because she wanted to know what other powers Lum had and the other aliens had for that matter.

Still, she treated Lum kindly and also hinted later that night that she might share some of her secret knowledge to Lum.

"Can you, by any chance," Lum hesistantly inquired, "teach me how to make a love potion?"

Cologne felt her ears twitch underneath her white hair. Of course, she already knew why Lum wanted to learn it for. But instead of agreeing or refusing, she said, "My dear, there are consequences in making potions of this kind. It controls other people's feelings and even their free will. And you must know," the old woman added further, "it is not a foolproof plan to get the man you want."

Lum kind of remembered a story Shampoo shared with her earlier that day about a red string the latter had tied to her finger and to Ranma's. It was then that Shampoo almost got Ranma to marry her until Akane managed to cut the string at the last minute. She sympathized with Shampoo at that moment but also though it unfair for Ranma.

"Here you go Lum," Shampoo brought the Oni princess out of her reverie, handing the latter another container of Ramen. "Thank you for helping us. You bring a lot of customers. We're happy."

"Come back any time, dear." Cologne added.

"Thank you Shampoo, Cologne." Lum bowed before continuing, "I'll come back on Sunday for sure and perhaps even after school."

o – o – o – o – o – o – o – o – o

In those seven days that Lum was there, she became popular and people began to love her company wherever she went. From the outside, no one would ever think that Lum didn't belong there. It was as if she found her home.


	8. Missing Ataru

**Chapter 8: Missing Ataru**

* * *

"Hey guys, have you seen Lum?" Nabiki asked Akane and Ranma one day at school. When both of them shook their heads Nabiki closed the classroom door behind her. Outside, her voice carried over, "I'm sorry guys. Looks like you won't get your princess to pose for you today." A wave of 'aww' and 'no fair' followed and then the sound of retreating steps.

"Where could she have gone?" Akane whispered to herself.

It was only recently that Akane noticed Lum disappeared more often during lunch time. There had also been days when Lum started refusing her and Ranma's offers to come join in their training. Shampoo and Ukyo even started coming over asking for Lum (much to Ranma's surprise), wondering why she was seldom seen in their restaurants anymore.

This worried Akane. For a couple of weeks now Lum had blended tremendously well. Everyone loves her company. Her bubbly and sweet personality was contagious to say the least. Even Happousai toned down his perversion one notch not only because of Lum's lightning. She was nice to the old man in his non-dirty days.

After fifteen minutes, Akane found Lum at the school building's roof top, sitting on top of the fences, garbed in her tiger-outfit with her Furinkan-high uniform neatly folded in one corner. The force of the wind was strong enough to lift Lum's hair like a halo above her head. Lum was staring at the sky, spaced-out, and with a sad look on her face.

"Lum?" Akane ventured. She saw Lum's body momentarily tensed up before the Oni princess relaxed her shoulders and turned to Akane with a smile.

"Yes?" Lum replied brightly floating down from the fence. "Has lunch ended already?"

Akane ignored her question but approached her instead. "Are you okay? You've been drifting off lately."

"What do you mean?" Lum said innocently, reaching for her uniform and began putting them on.

"I mean, we're worried, you know." Akane approached a little further and placed a hand on Lum's shoulder, "You miss him?"

Lum knew who _him_ was. And it was this _him_ that got her drifting now. It was also this _him_ that was the cause for her coming here in the first place. The same _him_ that never seemed to care about her when all she ever wanted was for _him_ to tell her what he truly feels for her.

Akane saw Lum's eyes tear up and without a word, she swiftly closed the distance between them and pulled Lum in a comforting hug. She didn't say anything, she just waited for Lum to let the tears flow and the sadness ebb away. In the distance, Akane heard the bell ring out the end of lunch but she ignored it. _Until Lum's okay_, she thought to herself, _I'll stay with her_.

o – o – o – o – o – o – o – o – o

Several miles away from Nerima, a hungry and pitiful looking Ataru can be seen begging in the streets for some food and information.

"Please sir," Ataru approached a business man, "just a little water."

The stranger snootily declined and prepared to go but Ataru held on to his sleeve jacket and said, "Well then, can you please tell me if you've seen this person." With that he pulled a picture of Lum in his pocket. But the business man said he doesn't know the girl in the photo, slapped Ataru's hand away and left grumbling.

Several hours passed and it was the same thing.

Three days ago Lum's father visited them one day asking where Lum was. Apparently, she left her communicator and other gadgets at Ataru's place and was not heard or seen since. All blame fell on Ataru and his parents kicked him out of the house telling him that he can't come home unless he's with Lum. Otherwise, it was up to Lum's father to punish him for eternity.

Although that last detail scared Ataru, he truly was worried about Lum. There was a point during his journey that he wondered whether Lum was kidnapped, but that was silly since there haven't been any ransom notes. Then he worried that Lum might have been murdered but decided that Lum was too strong to be killed that easily. Finally, he decided that she must have run away and it was not a hard thing to say that he was mostly at fault for what happened.

Ataru leaned against an oak tree to rest. "I'm sorry, Lum. I should have known how much I've hurt you already. Please come back." He fell asleep instantly.

"Young man," someone said somewhere.

Ataru woke up to find an old lady poking him with a staff.

"Young man," she said again. "Why don't you come in my house to rest. You'll catch cold if you stay under there."

Ataru almost sleep-walked after the old lady. Inside the house, which was more like a hut, spread a delicious aroma and both Ataru and the old lady shared an early supper together.

"Thank you, ma'am." Ataru wiped his face with his shirt and proceeded washing the dishes for the old lady.

"I've this young lady pass by here," the old lady suddenly said picking up the photo that fell off Ataru's back pocket.

Ataru almost dropped the pans he's been washing and instantly held both of the old lady's hands pleading, "You've seen her? Do you know where she could have gone?"

"I'm not so sure," the old lady replied trying to remember. "But I remember her helping me with my laundry. She's such a sweet girl."

"Tell me," Ataru pleaded some more. "Do you remember which direction she went off to?"

"Why yes." The old lady pointed somewhere northeast and Ataru, not wasting any more time, thanked the old lady and left.

"My, my," the old lady said to herself. "He didn't finish washing the dishes."


	9. Akane's Confession

**Chapter 9: Akane's Confession**

* * *

"Look Lum," Akane said once the two girls finished dinner and walked up the Tendo daughter's room. "You can talk to me about it but I won't force you to. Just know that I'm here. Heck, even if Ranma's that way, he does know how to listen."

Across the room, Lum wrapped her arms around her knees, floating carelessly but slowly to different parts of the room. She wasn't doing it on purpose. She just wasn't willing her body enough to stay levitated on just one spot. For Onis, and perhaps anyone else that has the power, a certain level of psychic energy and a significant amount of conscious will is needed to normally fly and steer one's directions. Otherwise, the person might find himself flying upside-down, backwards, too fast, too slow, or even to the moon. Lum's in that state at the moment, her body rotating to whatever emotion or thought she currently experienced.

Akane, on her bed, unconsciously folded her legs and embraced them the same as Lum. She thought desperately on how to break through the psychic barrier the alien princess started building around herself. It was not that Akane cannot touch Lum, only that she cannot reach the girl's mind.

"I know it's hard for you," Akane said a little while later. "I mean, if I were an alien, and a princess at that, in love with a pervert—I'm sorry for saying that! Well uhm… well I'd be lonely for one thing. I mean, I start living in a foreign planet with only the guy I love to hold on to and uh, he's not really accommodating. Well…"

Akane stumbled on her thoughts and even her words sounded incoherent to her. She wanted Lum to feel better. She knew that she won't be able to sleep unless the green-haired girl smiled a bit. What can she say? What was there that she can tell Lum? Yet, who was she anyway to advice? Lum's problem was obviously more complicated that hers, right?

"Lum," she started again. "I haven't told this to anyone… but despite how I act around Ranma, I really do like him. A lot. When he and his father first entered our home, all I saw was a panda bear carrying a red-headed, pigtailed girl over its shoulder. When I found out that it was a curse they got due to their risky martial arts training, that they change back to their own selves when doused with hot water but then turn back to their accursed bodies when doused with cold water; I was repulsed. I didn't show it of course, their situation was too huge a concept for my mind to handle, much less show the emotion I felt at the time. Nonetheless, I thought they were freaks.

"But when Ranma had to choose between the three of us, Nabiki volunteered me without my permission. And Dad consequently agreed and almost jumped up and danced in celebration. I was betrothed before I ever exhaled my breath. I mean, I wouldn't put up with it.

"Yet as the days, weeks, and months went on, I finally got used to the changing. And I realized that Ranma wasn't all that bad. I mean, we both act as if we don't like each other. Perhaps he _does_ dislike me, I don't know. But there were moments when our bickering and insult battles disappear and we see through each other. It's hard to explain but… I think you know what I'm trying to say. That there _are_ moments that you just see the other for what he or she is. I think it's what they call looking at the person's soul? I'm not sure. But yeah. There were times like that. So despite the overwhelming number of fights we've had and the name-calling (sometimes they do hurt) we've thrown each other, we became closer. Those moments always stood out."

Akane went on with her little monologue. She almost forgot that she was talking to someone else in the room, that she was not talking only to herself as if reassuring her own self of the things that had happened between her and Ranma.

"But then again, things got so complicated." Akane shook her head and gave a dry laugh. "There came Kodachi Kuno, but her I can handle. And she was always like that anyway so I was used to it. Even Ranma treated her like a pest, although I'd rather he turn her down more gently. But there's nothing gentle in that Black Rose's manner. She's just too stubborn like her brother.

"Anyway, Shampoo also came. And for me, she's the greatest competition that I have. Well, not that I'm competing anyway but… I mean, she's beautiful, there's no denying that. Her hair's more luxurious than mine can ever be. And her childlike innocence (ha!), probably affected by how 'cutely' she can't speak fluently (well you took care of that), adds to that appeal. I can assure you that had Ranma not been betrothed to me first, or that he hadn't seen Shampoo's Amazonian capabilities first, he might have gone to that woman. But that's Ranma, anyway. I think he puts great value on promises and even his father's words more than he knows.

"So then there's Ukyo, but she's okay and more or less normal. That's the thing though. She's not as crazy as the other two that Ranma is also close to her. I get jealous sometimes, but what can I do? They've been friends before I even knew Ranma existed. Maybe if Ranma knew then that Ukyo was not a guy, they might have been childhood sweethearts. Ay…"

Akane heavily sighed and threw her body back in bed. She looked up at the ceiling and then just remembered that she was with Lum, that she began talking essentially to ease the girl's sadness. She quickly sat back up and saw Lum still in that fetal position, only that she stopped floating. She was now seated on the carpeted floor, facing Akane. She was listening, had been listening. Akane didn't know how long. She dismissed the idea of asking. Instead, she looked straight at Lum who was staring back at her. Lum was waiting for her to continue.

Akane tried to remember her train of thought before continuing. This time, she looked straight at Lum. "There were so many things, most of them I cannot handle. Ranma's Ranma. The girls are there. The situation is always there. But I am here as well. Even if I have the upper hand, that he's living under our roof, that he is officially my fiancé and I am his fiancée, I cannot force Ranma to choose me if he doesn't want to."

A tear squeezed its way out of the corner of Akane's right eye. She didn't seem to notice it, or else she didn't show. "I wish he would. I wish he would tell how he really feels, what he really feels. Because in truth, I think I've fallen in love with him. It scares me."

More tears broke their way out and Akane choked. Lum was beside her in an instant, holding a tiger-printed handkerchief. She had forgotten her own sadness just to help alleviate the other's. Lum gave Akane a sad smile, tears also daring spill. Akane returned the smile.

Eventually, both girls laughed a sad laugh and embraced each other. They laughed and cried at the same time. And at the end of it all, they were both tired. Tired because of the burdened emotions they held. Tired because each just want one simple thing yet the situations kept complicating things for each of them.

That night, Lum and Akane slept side by side, hands held together.

o – o – o – o – o – o – o – o – o

"Go to sleep Ranma," Nabiki told the pigtailed guy as she walked by him to go to her room. "Quit eavesdropping on Akane."

"I wasn't eavesdropping," retorted Ranma. But he left his position from outside Akane's bedroom.


	10. Shampoo Defeated

**Chapter 10: Shampoo Defeated**

* * *

"Hey, I thought Lum's coming home with us this time?" Ranma asked Akane. The school bell rang a few minutes ago and most of their classmates have already gathered their things and gone home. 

"She said she needed to take care of some things, so I let her go on her own," replied Akane who was bent down under her desk, looking for her pencil case.

"I see," Ranma said quietly. He walked over to the front of the room and started cleaning the chalkboard, waiting for the rest of the students to leave the room. "Have you talked to her, yet?" he later asked.

"What do you mean?" replied Akane. She was now re-arranging the seats in the classroom. Everything was in total disarray. Lum's suitors had been there to walk her home, wrestling each other, but then found her already gone.

"I mean, about her drifting off lately." Ranma moved to the other side of the room, helping Akane with the seats.

"Yeah. I think she's going to be alright," Akane said silently. "She just needs space."

Ranma heard her sigh audibly that he stopped and looked at her for a couple of seconds. "Do you?" he finally asked, not really wanting to, not really expecting himself to even voice it out.

"Do I, what?" asked Akane, facing Ranma and a little confused.

"-need space," Ranma finished. He didn't want to make himself clear. He wanted to take it back but he already asked it. All he could do was make it a little more confusing.

"I don't understand." Akane rounded on Ranma with her hand on her hip, waiting.

"I-uh…" mumbled Ranma, fixing the last seat in the room before finally facing her again. "Never mind. Let's go. I think I'm just tired."

o – o – o – o – o – o – o – o – o

Lum parted the overhead curtain in Ukyo's Okonomiyaki and peered inside. The Oni princess decided that morning that she at least needed to apologize for her sudden absence, knowing that Ukyo and Shampoo must have worried about her, not to mention that she was the reason why both girls' businesses have skyrocketed somewhat.

Inside, Lum noticed at once that it wasn't as busy as when she had been there, although there were still the loyal customers eating about. Behind the counter was Ukyo, her back to Lum, apparently busy preparing one of her customers' orders. Not wanting to disturb Ukyo, Lum floated to a bar seat around the counter and waited for the spatula girl to finish. As she sat, she felt the man to her right gazing at her but when she turned to face him; he wasn't looking at her anymore but was concentrated instead on his drink.

Ukyo turned around and face the man, smiling and handing him his order, which smelled strongly of cinnamon. Probably a new recipe, Lum thought to herself, still quiet and waiting for Ukyo to notice her sitting there. And as if Ukyo hear her train of thought, the girl turned to her with mild surprise and smiled.

"Hi Lum," she smiled brightly. "I was wondering when you'd come visit me again."

A little embarrassed, Lum managed a smile that almost looked like some had pinched her and she was determined not to show. "Hi," she replied. "I'm sorry I haven't been around to help you, Ukyo. I was— uhm, well…" Lum flustered, but before she could continue, Ukyo leaned towards her and patted her green hair.

"It's alright," was Ukyo's reply. "You don't have to worry about it. I should be grateful even for the days you helped me out in business. But really, you don't have to apologize about it." And Ukyo squeezed Lum's shoulder to reassure the princess. In return, Lum smiled.

"So then," Ukyo continued, re-folding her shirt sleeve a little higher and then placing her hands on her hips. "Ready to give this place another boost?"

o – o – o – o – o – o – o – o – o

An hour and a half later, Lum felt a lot better. Ukyo didn't let her work as much, only had her stand outside and give out some flyers and inviting people to try out the new flavors the Okonomiyaki has recently added to its menu. There was cinnamon—which the man had ordered earlier—, apple cider, vanilla, orange, and even sunflower. The last flavor Lum thought to be a bit strange, but she guessed that Ukyo really wanted to hike her sales back up.

Well, thanks to Lum again, for the short time she stood outside the restaurant, customers filed in. Her usual fans saw her and without as much as looking at the flyer, simply went inside and ordered any one of the flavors Lum had been shouting. Ukyo was happy and even gave Lum a bonus for the day, plus a slice of sunflower-flavored pie Lum was only too happy to accept—also not wanting to hurt the other's feelings. But as the Oni princess took a bite at the pie, it turned out to be delicious. She had been hesitant about tasting it at first but really, she finished her slice faster than it took her to get to Cat Café, which was saying something considering that she was a slow eater.

She got to the café a few minutes later and almost bumped into Shampoo emerging from the doors atop her bicycle; carrying three noodle containers, one hanging at each side of her bike handle and the third tied at the seat behind her. Shampoo skidded to a halt and blinked several times at Lum.

"Hi-ya, Lum!" Shampoo greeted, also making a saluting motion. "I am busy right now but Grandma is at the back if you want to talk to her."

"Actually," Lum started; a little surprised that Shampoo wasn't at all wondering why she suddenly turned up after days of not showing. "I was wondering if I can talk to you."

"Oh," Shampoo replied, standing straight again for she was already poised to pedal away. "You don't need to say sorry. I understand. You are missing your fiancé. It's alright."

"Uhm…" Lum could only so much as reply. She didn't really think that Shampoo can get straight to the point without batting an eyelash. Then again, Shampoo had been brought up as an Amazon and they don't really develop women to be bashful or to even beat around the bush. She was thankful though, not really wanting to make another speech. And knowing Shampoo, as she had found the Chinese Amazon to be extremely likeable with her deceiving innocence, the girl did mean it and Lum need no longer to apologize. So instead, Lum smiled and said, "Let me help you with your delivery then. I'll just say hi to Cologne."

Minutes later, Lum was flying beside Shampoo's high speed pedaling, delivering the noodles. They delivered several more orders after that, both chattering while still making their way around Nerima at top speed. It was only after they delivered the last of the orders and that the once red-orange sky turned bluish violet that both girls slowed down. Both decided to walk, Lum no longer floating and Shampoo guiding her bicycle with both hands.

Their conversation steered towards medicine as both girls turned right at the corner, now only a few minutes away from Cat Café.

"…and then you mix two small mint leaves to the brew, wait for five minutes, add a pinch of ground cherry, and then you wait until the potion turns yellow," Shampoo explained animatedly to Lum as again they turned towards another avenue. "If it does, then you can put in a vial already. But if it turns a nasty green, looking like mold, you have to throw it away or else the fumes will be poisonous to plants and the tribe. I bury the potion whenever I fail making it."

Lum was listening intently. She had heard a lot of instructions on how to make a love potion but had never encountered this version. She was always doubtful about such things. At one point in Oni history, she remembered, love potions had been so popular and no less as destructive that they banned it for decades. Apparently, although popular on earth, it seemed that "love potions" made in this planet were not as dangerous.

"But ours is real," Shampoo replied after Lum told her about her doubts. "And it's not dangerous. The Joketsuzoku clan does not make potions and things that are not effective, unless of course we want them to fail a certain way in order to increase our sales. Anyway, you should ask Grandma. I think she has a sample of the potion somewhere."

Shampoo steered her bicycle at the last corner and they both walked silently back to Cat Café, the roof top of which can now be seen at the far end of the street. Lum concentrated on this bit of information about the love potion. She was still doubtful but perhaps she could talk to Cologne about it. Ask for some proof that it works. _And maybe even ask for a free sample of it_, she thought further.

They were only a couple of yards away from the restaurant when something heavy hit Lum at her side, sweeping her from off the ground and then squeezing her at a tight grip. Without seeing what was doing it, she charged her body with electricity to force the thing to let her go but before she could do so, she was presented with a bouquet of assorted flowers.

"This if for you, my darling Shampoo." It was Mousse, holding up the bouquet up to Lum while kneeling down. He was once again, not wearing his glasses, which was propped on his head. Before Lum could correct him, Mousse thrust the bundle towards the princess and quite daringly, kissed her on the lips.

Lum, who was too surprised to even shock Mousse, saw Shampoo over his shoulder. Shampoo, Lum noticed, seeing the whole thing, was apparently in mid-giggle. She perhaps thought it was amusing that Mousse would confuse someone else for her but, as in this case, she never thought that Mousse would kiss someone else.

The transformation was amazing. Lum actually felt the hair at the back of her neck stand on end at Shampoo's visage. She was quite sure that no one has ever seen the Amazon look this way, much less live to tell about it.

"MOUSSE!!!" shouted Shampoo, her bike clattered on the pavement. Out of thin air, she brandished her weapon and charged at the man who was now hugging Lum.

"You will NOT hurt my darling," cried Mousse and, pushing Lum aside, acted so swiftly that he didn't seem to have left his position.

To Lum's surprise, Shampoo was no longer holding her _bonbori_ as she once again was standing upright. For a split second, she thought that time had stopped for some reason but realized that it can't have been because the onlookers, who were surrounding them from the start of the commotion, were now avidly whispering to each other. She even saw a boy to her right try to pick up one of Shampoo's _bonbori_ but was prevent by his mother.

There was a slight thud in front of her and to Lum's fear, she saw Shampoo fall on her knees, both the latter's arms clutching at her stomach. Lum didn't waste any time coming to the Amazon's aid. She flew past Mousse, who was still standing there a bit arrogantly, and attended Shampoo.

Lum saw her friend's eyes extremely dilated, probably a mix of shock and pain, she didn't know. Rummaging in her bag, frantically searching for on of the pills she brought to earth with her, which was supposed to cure any pain or illness, she whispered comforting words to Shampoo. Lum mumbled incoherently, switching from defending Mousse and apologizing, until she finally found the pill. After slipping it in Shampoo's lips and making sure the latter had swallowed, Lum turned around, a little flushed in the face, and walked determinedly towards Mousse, who was still standing there.

Mousse made a gesture towards her, still believing that Lum was Shampoo, until Lum slapped him so hard in the face that the alien girl withdrew it quickly, afraid that she also hurt herself in the process. Mousse recoiled several steps back and drew his hand up to where a harsh red tinge, the shape of a hand was already forming.

"But, darling," he started and tentatively walked forwards once more. Just then, his glasses fell to the bridge of his nose, and no second later, he realized what he just did. In front of him, he saw Lum holding her wrist to herself and a couple of steps behind her was Shampoo steadily rising to her feet. "Oh no," he uttered a shocking moment later before continuing, "Shampoo… I…" But Lum made to strike at him again using her other hand that he took a step back.

"Wait," Shampoo said behind Lum. Lum stopped to turn to Shampoo, still afraid that the pill might not have worked. She wasn't quite sure what kind of blow Mousse inflicted on Shampoo and in what specific area. The effects of the medicine might work a bit slower. Still, she was relieved that Shampoo was able to stand back up.

"Shampoo," both Mousse and Lum said together. Lum turned a disdainful look towards Mousse who was again ready to go near them. "Are you okay?" Lum asked Shampoo.

"Yes," Shampoo grunted but repeated it again with more conviction. "Yes, I'm alright." She was standing straight now, looking at Mousse.

"Mousse," she began and Lum noticed Mousse anxiously put his hands together in front of him and hung his head low. "Mousse, you defeated me today… in battle." Lum wasn't quite sure she understood what her friend was saying but as she looked at Shampoo, she discovered a hint of smile appear on the Amazon's lips for a second.

Mousse, Lum also notice, was now looking at Shampoo with a look of quiet understanding and slight shock. "Do you mean," he started. There was something hopeful behind his voice.

Lum was still holding Shampoo by the arm when her friend replied, "By custom, if a man defeats a Joketsuzoku Amazon, she shall become his wife."

Once again, Mousse hung his head. "But Ranma defeated you first and at his first try. I only defeated you after several million tries and the only time I did defeat, I didn't know it was you."

"It doesn't matter," Shampoo replied, now able to stand on her own. Lum stood beside her, clutching her tiger-print bag, looking alternately at Mousse and her friend. The onlookers seemed to have diminished by a margin, perhaps, Lum wondered, there was nothing more interesting to see.

"We have to Grandma about this," Shampoo then said and turning to Lum, "I'm okay now, Lum. Thanks for that medicine you gave me. I think I'll have to ask you for a recipe of that one of these days, alright?" But as Lum hesitant to leave Shampoo, the latter reassured her, "It'll be okay. Mousse will take me home. We're only a few steps away from the café. I'll see you tomorrow. Be sure to stop by."

Nodding, Lum stepped aside to let Mousse take Shampoo in his arms. She saw him hug Shampoo gently before picking up the bike with his other hand. Both then proceeded towards the Cat Café and Lum, walked her way back home to the Tendo Residence, wondering what Cologne's decision will be upon discovering that another man, aside from Ranma, defeated Shampoo.


End file.
